Staying at The Gleneagles Hotel

13:15
april 5, 2023

As part of the Keepers of the Quaich Spring Banquet, where I was a guest of Diageo, we headed north to The Gleneagles Hotel where we were staying the night when attending the spring banquet dinner at Blair Castle. We had also had the pleasure of staying at the Gleneagles Townhouse the evening before, which you can read more about here.

The Room

I stayed in a double room in the main building which was lovely. The bed was really conmfortable and quite firm. There was a little table with chairs where I could do some work, as well as a vanity and there were coffee and tea making facilities on a tray with shortbread and milk available in the fridge. I really liked the cups that looked handmade and in lovely pink and green shades. Compared to Gleneagles Townhouse I was surprised to see that the mini fridge only had milk for the teas and coffees and water bottles, whereas at the Townhouse there had been a fully stocked fridge and also a minibar in the room. Overall the service was also a notch higher at the Townhouse, which also surprised me as I had expected the opposite. Don’t get me wrong, Gleneagles is lovely and such an experience as there’s so much to see and do in one place. But I had previously been thinking of splurging out on an overnight stay for a special occasion at some point, but instead I think I’d rather stop by for the afternoon tea or a lunch/dinner and save my money for an overnight stay to the Townhouse or possibly somewhere else.

The bathroom has the Gleneagles branded products with a Scottish Heather scent which felt luxurious and it’s always nice to have both a shower and bath. The floor also had underfloor heating which is so nice in the morning when it’s a bit chillier (I opened my window as I like it colder when I sleep). I couldn’t find a hair drier but seemed everyone else in our group had one, so perhaps it was just hiding somewhere.

Lunch in The Century Bar

The Century Bar has a lovely Art Deco vibe and is the perfect stop for a nice lunch or drink. I had the club sandwich which was great. And even managed to snag a table by the window. Last time I was here I also had the burger and so far I have not been disappointed by the food. I’d also recommend trying one or two of the cocktails as they’re super tasty as well. Gleneagles also have more fine dining options available for dinner and the Garden Café for a simpler lunch.

The Hotel & The Grounds

Besides several restaurants, the golf course, spa and rooms, Gleneagles also features a shopping area with a variety of options from high end fashion, Rolex watches, a mini-market, flowers and a gift shop with Gleneagles branded products from chocolate to beauty. Below you’ll also see a photo of the ladies bathroom on the ground floor which is so gorgeous I feel like I could spend ages in there alone. The first time you visit Gleneagles it’s so worth just having a look around as there’s so much to explore.

Breakfast in The Strathearn

One of the absolute highlights of the stay was the breakfast in The Strathearn. Besides this restaurant being absolutely gorgeous with its interior design ranging between a more lounge-esque area and the conservatoire. There’s both the option of ordering of a menu where the chefs can prepare pretty much anything you would like, and a room with options of bread, yoghurt, hot items, granola, cheese and fruit.

The breakfast was so good and I wish I could’ve eaten more simply just to be able to try more of the things on offer.

The Spa

I hadn’t seen the spa before so in the morning after check out I decided to check out the spa as my driver wasn’t arriving until an hour later. For the spa you get a little wrist-lock which you can use for any of the lockers. Inside there’s a larger pool area which allows families with children but there’s also the darker room with another pool and sauna where it’s adults only. In the main room there’s also a little pool which leads outside which is really nice. There’s also citrus infused water available in a few different spots which I always like as I tend to feel so dehydrated when in a swimming pool. As it was the Easter break week there were a lot of children so just something to bear in mind if you prefer more peace and quiet.